US 6,310,454 B1 · Apparatus and control method for feeder system for flowable material

Abstract

An apparatus for precisely controlling the feed rate of a feeder comprises: a motor operatively connected to the feeder to cause dispensing of the feeder when the motor is driven; a control circuit for supplying, when actuated, an AC voltage supply to the motor for driving of the motor; a counter disposed in communication with the control circuit for actuation thereof when an overflow signal is generated by the counter; a latch controller disposed in communication with the counter for enablement and disablement of the counter, the latch controller disabling the counter when the overflow signal is generated by the counter; a detector connected to the AC voltage supply for detecting when the AC voltage crosses over a median voltage thereof, the detector further disposed in communication with the latch controller for enablement of the counter when the median voltage is detected; and a fuzzy logic controller disposed in communication with the counter for generating an output to the counter that loads a determined count into the counter such that the counter generates an overflow signal within a time interval equal to a determined percentage of the half period of the AC voltage. The control circuit includes a pair of silicon control rectifiers disposed in parallel but reversed to one another resulting in each silicon control rectifier being able to supply the AC voltage to the motor during opposite half periods of a time period of the AC voltage if continuously actuated.

Claims13

Dependent claims

An apparatus for precisely controlling the driving of a motor, comprising:

(a) a control circuit operatively connected to the motor which provides a voltage supply to the motor for driving the motor when the control circuit is actuated, wherein said control circuit deactuates at a recurring point in time, wherein the voltage supply is AC voltage and said recurring point in time is a crossover by the AC voltage of a median voltage thereof,
(b) a timing circuit disposed in communication with said control circuit for actuating said control circuit after a determined time interval;
and
(c) a fuzzy logic controller disposed in communication with said timing circuit for determining said time interval.

1 more element

An apparatus for precisely controlling the feed rate of a feeder, comprising:

(a) a motor operatively connected to the feeder to cause dispensing of the feeder when said motor is driven;
(b) a control circuit for controlling the driving of said motor, said control circuit including a pair of silicon control rectifiers disposed in parallel but reversed to one another, each said silicon control rectifier operatively connected to said motor such that, when said silicon control rectifier is fired, an AC voltage is supplied to said motor and said motor is driven, the parallel and reversed disposition of said silicon control rectifiers in said control circuit resulting in each said silicon control rectifier being able to supply the AC voltage to said motor during opposite half periods of a time period of the AC voltage;
(c) a counter disposed in communication with each of said silicon control rectifiers for actuation thereof when an overflow signal is generated by said counter;
(d) a latch controller disposed in communication with said counter for enablement and disablement of said counter, said latch controller disabling said counter when the overflow signal is generated by said counter;
(e) a detector connected to the AC voltage for detecting when the AC voltage crosses over a median voltage thereof, said detector further disposed in communication with said latch controller, said detector generating a signal to said latch controller for enablement of said counter when said median voltage is detected;
and
(f) a fuzzy logic controller disposed in communication with said counter for generating an output to said counter that loads a determined count into said counter such that said counter generates an overflow signal within a time interval equal to a determined percentage of the half period of the AC voltage, whereby each said silicon control rectifier is fired for the determined percentage of the half period of the AC voltage.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and control method for feeder system for flowable material

Life of this patent

Apparatus and control method for feeder system for flowable material

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13